I had a chance to see a Dock And Go system first hand aboard a friend's boat. We cruised 10 days thru Holland and docked in many different scenarios aboard a Beneteau Sense 55.. The owner was very technical and loved the system, though the bow thruster was sometimes underpowered in the conditions. We had 20 to 30+ knots every day I was there. The controls seemed well thought out but the battery string was not, and some days we drained the batteries too low using electric winches sailing all day, for the navionics. They've since separated the battery strings into engine start, house, and navionics so your chart plotter doesn't quit as you sail into a harbor entrance, when you need it most. My skipper friend showed me a spring line docking technigues he employed because his fairway was only five feet wider than the length of his boat and they had a lot of strong cross winds to negotiate.
One trick was to come into the fairway and lay the boat's stern quarter near enough to get a line around an downwind piling and winch the boat in tight and use the engine in reverse to power the whole boat so it lined up to back in to the slip, reverse while easing the line to the piling and enter the slip in control. This can be done by one person, from the cockpit. The Dock and Go worked well, but was just too risky in such a tight space with so many expensive neighboring vessels. This technique works better for wider vessels, because of the longer lever, the thrust of the prop is further from the side of the boat/piling, the fulcrum point. I saw another boater use this method to get his 41 into his slip when the tide was running a full ebb, sideways to his slip. Chuck Resolute 1990 C&C 34R Broad Creek, Magothy River, Md > On October 27, 2016 at 10:35 AM Chuck Gilchrest via CnC-List > <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > > Several years ago, Beneteau announced that all of their boats over 47’ > could be equipped with an optional “Dock and Go” system, in which the primary > propulsion sail drive would be able to pivot and turn to allow joy stick > docking and close quarter maneuvering. This was achieved through a > sophisticated computer system that adjusted prop drive angle to a joy stick > actuator, independent of the rudder. > > > http://www.soundingsonline.com/news/dispatches/582-sept-15-2010/265542-beneteau-pioneers-joystick-docking > > I saw it in action at the Annapolis Boat Show and it was quite > impressive, especially mated to a 50’ cruising sailboat with an enormous > beam. Not long after the boat show debut, several boats equipped with the > system were reported to have reliability issues, most of which were > attributed to voltage drops computer issues and the company struggled to > support the owners having the new technology. As a result, I haven’t heard > much to tout this steering augmentation in the last few years and perhaps it > has been dropped from the option list. > > > > I know as a hands on boat owner who prefers to understand and > troubleshoot issues on my 33 year old cruiser, I would be extremely bummed > out if a sail drive or any sort of prop could potentially fail and lock in > place while pointing 30-40 degrees off the centerline of the boat and have > the issue be a computer glitch. Talk about “prop walk”! > > Chuck Gilchrest > > S/V Half Magic > > 1983 Landfall 35 > > > > From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Joel > Aronson via CnC-List > Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2016 9:50 AM > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Cc: Joel Aronson <joel.aron...@gmail.com> > Subject: Re: Stus-List Boat Handling Skill > > > > I've got a friend with a Riveria with the pod. Makes docking more like a > video game. > > > > With twin screws you should be able to put a power boar or cat almost > anywhere. With one engine in forward and one in reverse it will pivot in > place. You don't use the wheel when docking twin screws. > > > > Joel > > > > On Thu, Oct 27, 2016 at 9:19 AM, Dennis C. via CnC-List > <cnc-list@cnc-list.com mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com > wrote: > > > > > > I agree. Some skippers demonstrate great seamanship. > > > > Then there's the joy of a well equipped boat. > > > > Couple years ago, a fella with a nice MJM 40 > > (https://mjmyachts.com/40z) was leaving a side to docking just in front of > > Touche'. Being a helpful sort, I wandered up and asked if he needed help > > getting away from the pier. With a wry smile, he graciously thanked me but > > declined. He then finished untying and placed himself at the helm station. > > With a couple of slight control moves, the MJM moved directly away from > > the pier. He explained that not only was the boat equipped with a bow > > thruster but also pod drives. > > > > From the MJM website: > > > > "Joystick Computerized Control > > > > The primary design goal for the 40z was to create a 40 foot > > powerboat that would handle like a 30-footer at idle speeds in tricky > > docking situations. The new Volvo-Penta IPS or Yanmar joystick control > > technology makes this goal a reality. The IPS system works with twin pod > > drives under the hull and the Yanmar with twin sterndrives. When > > conventional twin-engine controls are in neutral, a single joystick takes > > over with fingertip control. There are no thrusters. Through a unique > > computer program, each drive unit is independently operated in terms of > > direction, rpm and forward-reverse gear. This new system works far more > > intuitively than conventional twin shaft drives or joystick/thruster > > operated jet drives." > > > > Dennis C. > > > > > > > > On Thu, Oct 27, 2016 at 8:05 AM, robert <robertabb...@eastlink.ca > > mailto:robertabb...@eastlink.ca > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > On 2016-10-26 5:45 PM, Dennis C. via CnC-List wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "On a few occasions I've had the opportunity to watch > > > > the weigh ins at a couple of fishing tournaments. The skill of the > > > > charter captains is phenomenal. They come into a harbor, motor to the > > > > center of a fairway, use the two engines to spin the boat's stern into > > > > the fairway, back directly down the fairway in what seems an impossibly > > > > straight line, stop within a gnat's whisker of the bulkhead, then > > > > gently place the boat's stern against the bulkhead and keep it there > > > > with a bit of reverse. " > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dennis: > > > > > > The other day I watched a club member with a 40' powerboat > > > come into a narrow fairway at our club (not much wider than his boat) and > > > turn it around 180 degrees to parallel dock ....the boat literately > > > pivoted in a stationary position......he was on the fly bridge. > > > > > > I said the people standing next to me what great boat > > > handling. One member responded and said "well, anybody can do that with > > > bow thrusters" . > > > > > > I responded and said "His boat does not have bow or stern > > > thrusters, that is what makes it so impressive". No response from him. > > > > > > Rob Abbott > > > AZURA > > > C&C 32- 84 > > > Halifax, N.S. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If > > you wish to make a contribution to offset our costs, please go to: > > https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > > > > All Contributions are greatly appreciated! > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Joel > 301 541 8551 > > _______________________________________________ > > This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you > wish to make a contribution to offset our costs, please go to: > https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > > All Contributions are greatly appreciated! >
_______________________________________________ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you wish to make a contribution to offset our costs, please go to: https://www.paypal.me/stumurray All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
